Pink Floyd's sublime music of hope and despair, touches all nationalities and is as meaningful today as it was when conceived. From origins in the early Sixties, where everything is up in the air, not least love, drugs and sex. A group of talented teenagers from academic backgrounds in Cambridge — Roger 'Syd' Barrett, Roger Waters and David Gilmour — are all keen guitarists and among many who move to London, keen to discover more of this new world and express themselves in it. Mainly in further education — studying the arts, architecture, music — they mix with like-minded incomers in the big city.
In 1965, Barrett and Waters meet an experimental percussionist and an extraordinarily gifted keyboards-player — Nick Mason and Rick Wright respectively. The result is Pink Floyd, which more than 40 years later has moved from massive to almost mythic standing.
There have been awards and honours along the way: induction into both the US and UK Rock 'n' Roll Halls of Fame; Sweden's Polar Music Prize in 2008 for their 'monumental contribution over the decades to the fusion of art and music in the development of popular culture'. And in 2010, The Royal Mail used Division Bell visuals on their stamps, also creating a unique sheet using only the Floyd's imagery.
This exhibition includes rare and unseen images from the Rockarchive collection including photos of reclusive founder Syd Barrett by Mick Rock, artwork from Storm Thorgerson/Hipgnosis studio, as well as candid images by Jill Furmanovsky, who has opened up her largely unseen archive to cast light on the dynamics in the band as they recorded Wish You Were Here at Abbey Road and toured Dark Side of the Moon in the UK in the mid-70's.
For their first photo shoot, Colin Prime took the band down to Ruskin park. All the guys were in high spirits at the time
This was the first time Tony Collins ever saw Pink Floyd live. They played numbers from their new album 'Atom Heart Mother'.
Alternative version of the image designed to advertise the Pink Floyd back catalogue in 1997 designed by Storm Thorgerson
Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, Roger Waters & Richard Wright on their first ever photo shoot in Ruskin Park, London
Inner sleeve artwork for Pink Floyd's album Wish You Were Here by Storm Thorgerson
This stark image was a poster designed to promote the Pink Floyd exhibition, Interstellar, at the Paris Cité De La Musique in October 2003.
Cover art for the live single of Wish You Were Here. 'What you see is what you get - two lost souls, swimming in a fish bowl'
Version of the Interstellar poster art devised for the 2003 Pink Floyd exhibition in Paris
The idea of beds for the Momentary Lapse cover came from a line of lyric - ‘Visions of an empty bed’ (Yet Another Movie)
Roger and Nick on a train to Edinburgh, Dark Side of The Moon tour 1974. The band preferred to travel by train rather than bus or plane.
David Gilmour Dark Side Of The Moon tour 1974. Those Guinness t-shirts were popular on that tour. Roger had one too.
David Gilmour playing backgammon (with Storm and Rick Wright) in his hotel room during the Dark Side of the Moon tour 1974.
David Gilmour taking a quiet moment backstage, during the Dark Side of the Moon tour 1974.
David Gilmour in Studio 3, at Abbey Road Studios. The band were recording Have a Cigar that day for their new album Wish You Were Here .
Nick Mason, David Gilmour & Roger Waters during a sound-check for the Dark Side of the Moon UK tour.
The design team Hipgnosis, had two main players - Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell. Po pictured here with David Gilmour and Roger Waters
This is what The Wall looked like during an interval of the The Wall Tour at the The Coliseum in Uniondale, Nassau County, New York.
Dick Parry has played some of the most unforgettable and sublime saxophone solos in the history of rock music - mostly with Pink Floyd.
Two consecutive frames joined together from a shoot of The Wall tour in New York in 1980
This was taken on the Division Bell Tour. The sound and lighting people in their headsets look like the crew of a space ship.
David Gilmour’s superb guitar solo during ’Comfortably Numb’ on PinK Floyd's The Wall Tour
This was Pink Floyd’s first official photo shoot. Although a photographer by trade, Colin Prime’s other love was music
Pink Floyd in Abbey Road making a new album that became 'Wish You Were Here'. Jill Furmanovsky was asked to drop in and shoot some stills
Alternative version of the cover artwork for Pink Floyd's 1994 album 'Division Bell' designed by Storm Thorgerson
Pink Floyd onstage at the Roundhouse, London in July 1967 less than a year after they performed at its opening party.
Jill Furmanovsky was the official photographer on the Dark Side of the Moon/Wish You Were Here UK tour, taking pictures over c.5 weeks
Storm Thorgerson with Dave Gilmour whilst rehearsing during the Dark Side of the Moon UK Tour.
Roger Waters, Roy Harper and Roy's son listen to a playback at Abbey Road Studios. Roy was guest vocalist on Have a Cigar.
A rare band shot from this period taken by a young Jill Furmanovksy at the start of her photography career
Photographed as a homage to the Pink Floyd album sleeve 'Animals' for the BBC series 'Britain In Pictures'.
Variant of the album cover for Division Bell using alternative Stone Heads
Stunning image of Amy Winehouse taken in a North London launderette during a photo shoot in winter 2004.
Led Zeppelin performing at Madison Square Garden, New York, USA 1977.
Contact sheet of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers photographed at Hyde Park, London in 1991
Relaxing backstage at Abbey Road Studios during the recording of debut album 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'
Bob Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, musician, & guitarist who achieved international fame & acclaim.
David Bowie was a leading figure in popular music for over five decades & regarded by critics & musicians as a true innovator.
Björk Guðmundsdóttir, (born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk is an Icelandic singer-songwriter.
Jeff Beck is one of rock’s most respected and dynamic instrumentalists. He is widely regarded as a “guitarist’s guitarist”.
Here are the very latest prints we have added to our collection. We hope you love them as much as we do.
Our contact sheet print collection is a rare opportunity to look back at the hidden moments surrounding some of rocks most iconic images.
Browse our collection of popular graphic art prints including iconic images by Storm Thorgerson and stunning work by contemporary artists.
During his 30 year career Jake Chessum has shot defining images of musicians such as Amy Winehouse, Jay Z, The Beastie Boys & David Bowie.
